Sir Ian McKellen

Born in Burnley, he was raised in nearby Wigan. His parents took him to the
theatre and encouraged his interest in the theatre and in acting. He performed
in many school plays and began attending theatre festivals in places such as
Stratford. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1961 and began his career in the
theatre. His career has focussed mainly in theatre but he has become well known
in films and has done many television appearances over the years. His is most
recently famed for his role as Gandalf the White in the Lord of the Rings
trilogy but his Shakespearean performances are a wonder to behold. Early in his
career, he came out and became open about his homosexuality, very courageous at
the time, and has been active in gay rights organizations ever since.

He has now fulfilled another dream by appearing on Coronation Street. His official website has lists of his full film,
stage and other professional appearances as well as his own writing. More
biographical information can be found on the IMDB.com page.

Read his notes
from his Coronation Street experience here on his website.